3D printing plus Sugru

Sugru uploaded this nice short film about maker dads. If you don't know about Sugru, a moldable air curable rubber yet, you've got to check it out.

Jane ní Dhulchaointigh from UK invented Sugru and this super rubber compound for simple repair has generated a lot of Sugru lovers.

Sugru can be formed and shaped by hand for up to 30 minutes and it can stick to aluminium, steel, ceramics, glass, wood and other materials, almost any surface. It molds like Play-Dough, once it's exposed to air, it cures to a tough flexible silicone in 24 hours at room temperature using the moisture in the air. Sugru is waterproof, dishwasher proof and electrically insulating When cured. But it is also removable from most non-porous surfaces.

What can this secretly formulated Sugru add to 3D printing? sugru user Carson posted a fantastic project on gurus showing how he used a Polyjet 3d printer to create a mold to make a precise new strain relief for his cable. Watch the image below, you will be impressed by how precise it is.

Here's how I did it:

1) I used 3D CAD software to model up the strain relief geometry for the audio plug.
2) Using the original CAD as reference, I then created CAD for a 2-sided mold for the part.
3) I printed the mold parts out in a 3D printer (polyjet).
4) Needed some mold-release chemicals to allow the parts to come out of the mold, like greasing a cupcake tin. Didn't have any mold-release handy so I used olive oil.
5) Mold the Sugru around the bare audio plug by hand, while properly aligninge plug into the mold.
6) Close the mold with a C-Clamp and remove excess squeezed out of the mold.
7) 30hrs later, Done! Open the mold and enjoy the new overmolded strain relief I created!"

It is exciting to see that Sugru fans is pushing Sugru into 3D printing and DIY digital manufacturing. Here is another sample - create custom-made stamps using Sugru.

First you need to design a stampmaker using 3D modeling software such as Blender or Google SketchUp. Then you can use any of online 3D printing service such as Shapeways or Ponoko to print the stampmaker using certain material for example Acrylic-based photopolymer. When the stampmaker is ready, you will be able to create your stamps with Sugru. As you can read from the online tutorial here the process is really simple. But if you like stamps, with this amazingly useful material you can make as much stamps as you like!

Sugru is sold in packs containing 8x5g packets in Sugru shop. It is available in all black, black and white, or multicolor with a price tag from £10/$16.20/€11.50 to £11/$17.82/€12.65.